New York cab fares to increase

The average cost of taking a taxi in New York will rise by almost a fifth.

The proposal that was originally made received official approval from the Taxi and Limousine Commission today. Effective from September, there will be a 17 per cent hike in fares.

This rise will result in an average yellow cab journey jumping from $13 to $15. It is the first time that there has been an increase in fares in six years.

The commission has already rushed to defend its move, explaining that taxis will still remain cheaper than cabs in fellow cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as the English and Japanese capitals - London and Tokyo. A spokesman explained the reportedly common held belief that now is the time for raises to be brought in before explaining that most of the public has been understanding so far and is prepared to spend more as taxi drivers try to make a living.

The increase comes ahead of Citi Bike, a bicycle-hire scheme in US cities, being brought in. Bike stations are to open in over 600 Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens locations with bikes costing just short of $10 for a full day or just $4 for an hour.

The average cost of a taking a taxi from JFK International Airport in Queens to Manhattan will rise from roughly $45 to $52, which doesn’t include tolls, while an average journey from Newark Airport in New Jersey to Manhattan will rise from $15 to $17.50.